A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 68

The Newcomer of the Baseball Team is Too Good – Episode 68

Chapter 19: The Heart of the Watcher (3)

A week later.

Ji-seop returned to the away game lodging a bit later than usual and found Ryu Jang-ho and Go Chang-deok sitting across from each other with serious expressions.

“Oh, Ji-seop is here?”

“You’ve arrived, hyung [older brother or respected male figure],”

The two greeted Ji-seop in their own ways.

Ji-seop nodded, and the two returned to their original positions, huddling together.

The KH Cannons’ best hitter wasn’t thinking of returning to his room even though it was almost midnight.

Ji-seop didn’t bother asking Ryu Jang-ho, ‘What’s wrong?’

‘Hehe, he’s probably like that because of the 7 RBIs [Runs Batted In] in one game record.’

You never know with baseball.

Recently, Ji-seop was reminded of an old truth he had heard countless times since his playing days.

Ryu Jang-ho had succeeded in breaking out of his long slump with the help of Go Chang-deok during the last spring camp.

Ryu Jang-ho was showing the best performance this season, virtually confirming a career high.

The KH Cannons’ genius hitter had been showing peak hitting ability for the past few weeks-

‘Did he record one or two RBIs this week?’

He was suffering from a severe RBI drought.

Even setting aside the bet with Arthur Freeman, as the team’s key hitter, he couldn’t help but be concerned.

In the end, Ryu Jang-ho had no choice but to seek out his ‘reliable source,’ Go Chang-deok.

“Hmm…”

But it was RBIs, not other records.

Go Chang-deok had become a fairly recognized ‘data expert’ in the Cannons, but even he didn’t seem to have a clear answer.

“Should I be honest? I wish hitters would stop worrying about RBI records. That’s how I see it.”

Go Chang-deok said with his arms crossed.

“When you look at an individual hitter, whether or not they can get an RBI is just luck, right?”

Let’s say they hit a ‘tap’ hit [weakly hit ball] that falls in front of the center fielder.

If there were runners on second or third base, they could record an RBI, but if there were no runners or a runner on first, it would be difficult to expect an RBI.

That seemed to be what Go Chang-deok was trying to say.

“So don’t worry about RBIs. It’s best to do what you usually do. If you only aim for extra-base hits while thinking about RBIs and your balance collapses? It’ll be even harder to fix then.”

A typical opinion from people who ‘live off numbers,’ as they put it.

However, the players who actually go out on the field have their own perspectives.

“I understand what you’re saying.”

Ryu Jang-ho clicked his tongue.

“From my perspective, it’s hard to ignore RBIs. RBIs are the best indicator of my performance in a game, right?”

When you record an RBI, the number goes up on the stadium scoreboard.

These numbers add up to determine the outcome of the game.

Players who have grown up experiencing this process countless times since they were young.

For them, there is no record as rewarding as an RBI.

Go Chang-deok couldn’t possibly not know the feelings of such players.

“Well, if that’s what you think… It’s not like there’s no way.”

“Yes? Is there?”

Ryu Jang-ho’s eyes widened.

He didn’t seem to realize it, but in that short moment, Go Chang-deok winked slightly at Ji-seop.

They had roughly agreed on something in case this kind of story came up.

“Jang-ho, I think you have some sense of it…”

Go Chang-deok continued naturally.

“The reason you haven’t been able to get RBIs this week… is largely due to the decreased on-base percentage of the Cannons hitters other than you.”

“Is that so?”

Ryu Jang-ho blinked.

“Yeah, didn’t you know?”

“Yes, honestly, I don’t usually look at the records of other players.”

He really lived his life focusing only on his own hitting performance.

Ji-seop could once again feel why Arthur Freeman had given him the ‘7 RBIs in one game mission.’

“Yes, it’s been on a downward curve overall for quite some time… but it’s been particularly difficult this week.”

Go Chang-deok took out his tablet PC and showed the data of the Cannons players.

“The coaches are working hard, and our scouting team isn’t just sitting around. But sometimes, advice from a fellow player can be quite effective, right?”

Go Chang-deok gave a subtle expression.

“If you give these players even a little advice, and if it works in a good direction…”

“It means it could ultimately affect my RBI record?”

At this time, Ji-seop could see one corner of Ryu Jang-ho’s mouth slightly raised.

“Hmm, that…”

Ryu Jang-ho nodded with a serious expression.

“That doesn’t sound like a bad idea.”

* * *

Strictly speaking, RBIs are not a record that an individual player can control.

Nevertheless, if you can’t let go of your attachment to RBIs, improve the hitting condition of your fellow players.

The KH Cannons’ genius hitter received this advice from Go Chang-deok.

“I understand. I’ll give it a try.”

In fact, Ji-seop didn’t specifically track how Ryu Jang-ho was moving after that day.

Unlike when he was trying to help him overcome his slump during the spring camp, Ji-seop was currently Arthur Freeman’s personal interpreter.

He was so busy handling that task that he had little time to look after Ryu Jang-ho.

In addition, the Cannons’ performance had strangely started to decline, so he had to focus all his attention on that.

Then, about five more days would have passed.

Ji-seop was able to hear about Ryu Jang-ho’s movements from a completely unexpected source.

“Ji-seop! Ji-seop!”

Ji-seop was sitting in the corner of the dugout, preparing for the manager’s media meeting that would be held a little later.

The Cannons’ first-team manager, Park Yong-hwan, was talking to Ji-seop.

“Yes, Manager. What’s wrong?”

“Ah, it’s nothing else…”

The first-team manager wiped the sweat from the back of his hand.

“Have you seen Jang-ho anywhere?”

“Jang-ho?”

Ji-seop chuckled.

“If it’s Jang-ho… there are only three places he’d be, right?”

The dugout.

The indoor practice field.

And the trainers’ room (where he sneaks in to nap).

Ji-seop mentioned what was common knowledge among the Cannons’ staff, but the first-team manager’s reaction was a bit unexpected.

“Oh my, what are you talking about? That’s all in the past.”

“In the past… you say?”

“Yes, I don’t know what’s gotten into him lately… but he keeps popping up in the most unexpected places.”

Three days ago, he was spotted at a cafe across from the stadium with the team’s leadoff hitter.

Two days ago, he was sitting in on a meeting between the team’s second hitter and the coaching staff.

But the most surprising thing happened the previous afternoon.

“They said he was in the parking lot with Chun Jin-woo.”

“The parking lot? Why?”

“He ran into Chun on the way to work, and he was signing autographs for the fans who were waiting there.”

It’s hard to figure out.

The first-team manager shook his head.

“Anyway, if you see Jang-ho, please tell him to give me a call. I need to go check on the other players…”

“Yes, yes, I understand.”

“Thank you. Then…”

The first-team manager hurried out of the dugout, clutching his phone tightly.

Ji-seop watched him go, a faint smile spreading across his face.

‘He goes to cafes with teammates, attends coaching staff meetings, and even did fan service yesterday?’

No doubt, Ryu Jang-ho seemed to be diligently following Go Chang-deok’s advice.

Whatever the reason, he was quite different from his old self, who only cared about his own performance.

‘Hehe, that guy…’

It was kind of cute to see him following Go Chang-deok’s advice so faithfully.

It made him wonder if RBIs [Runs Batted In, a baseball statistic] were that important to the fielders.

And on the other hand, he hoped that all this effort would lead to good results.

Then, a thought suddenly occurred to him.

‘Wait a minute… what if he actually gets 7 RBIs in one game?’

According to Arthur Freeman’s promise, Ryu Jang-ho would be exempt from all fan service in the future.

‘Am I really going to have to sign autographs for him?’

What does his signature even look like?

Ji-seop tried to recall the vague memory, drawing Ryu Jang-ho’s signature on the palm of his hand.

* * *

‘Wouldn’t it be impossible to get 7 RBIs in one game in the remaining time?’

Even as he practiced Ryu Jang-ho’s signature on his palm, Ji-seop’s heart leaned more towards this thought.

Seven RBIs in a single game meant hitting a grand slam and then getting three more RBIs to reach that record.

No matter how much Ryu Jang-ho had changed, it would be realistically impossible to achieve that.

But as someone once said,

You never know with baseball.

Thwack!

It was the second day after Ji-seop had heard about Ryu Jang-ho’s changed behavior.

In other words, the last day of the deadline promised by Arthur Freeman.

Ryu Jang-ho, who started as the Cannons’ starting center fielder and fifth hitter that day, swung his bat sharply from his first at-bat.

-This hit goes straight to the right-center field fence! The runner on second is already heading home! The runner on first is also past third and heading home!!!

An RBI hit for 2 runs from the first at-bat.

He struck out after a full-count battle in his second at-bat, but in his third at-bat, he once again created an unusual sound of impact.

-This hit completely splits the left fielder and center fielder! The runners are all heading home, heading home, heading home!!!

A three-run RBI double that instantly turned the tightly contested 2-2 game around.

Wow!!!

Explosive hitting that made the previous ‘RBI drought’ unbelievable.

In fact, the reason for this was unknown.

It could have been thanks to the coaching staff’s advice, or the efforts of the power analysis team staff.

However, at the moment this hit was made, Ji-seop in the dugout began to think that it might be because of Ryu Jang-ho’s change.

“Jang-ho, you only need 2 more runs!”

“If you get just 2 more RBIs, you’ll win the bet with the manager, you idiot!!!”

The players were cheering on Ryu Jang-ho’s ‘challenge to get 7 RBIs in one game.’

Just two weeks ago, their reaction was somewhat skewed, but at this time, you could tell without having to ‘stare’ into their eyes.

The fact that everyone in the dugout wanted Ryu Jang-ho to succeed in his challenge.

And as time passed, in the bottom of the 8th inning with the score at 5-1.

“Alright, let’s get ready! Let’s set the table for our Jang-ho!”

“The pitcher’s ball is coming in weak! With confidence, with confidence!!!”

The leadoff hitter was the very same first hitter who had been with Ryu Jang-ho at the cafe a few days ago.

He had been showing good hitting ability for the first time in a while, and in the bottom of the 8th inning, he got on base with a hit that fell right in front of the left fielder.

“Okay! Is it my turn now!”

Next up was the second hitter, who was also known to have attended the coaching staff meeting with Ryu Jang-ho a few days ago.

He had only accumulated three ground balls that day, but in his last at-bat, he drew a walk, putting runners on first and second with no outs.

Thwack!

Of course, the opposing team’s battery [pitcher and catcher] couldn’t just sit back and take it.

They managed to get the next hitters out with a ground ball out to the second baseman and a fly out to the left fielder, respectively-

Wow!!!

Despite the two outs, the atmosphere at KH Cannons Field was getting even hotter.

There was only one reason.

Ryu Jang-ho!

It was the last at-bat for the genius hitter, Ryu Jang-ho, who had already scored 5 RBIs in the game that day.